Minimal tools for Audio DIY

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
Ex-Moderator
Joined 2002
I folks,

I was thinking we could put together a thead that could be transferred to to Wikki, as a basic guide for what tools you need to get started in this DIY lark, thinking minimalist, rather than the useful tools and techniques thread which is great, but over the top for newbies.

I will kick off the thread with my idea of minimalist tools for Loudspeaker cabinet construction, and I hope other people can contribute for other areas.

Router, with 3/4 and 1/4 inch bits and a 1/2inch roundover,(optional), circle cutting guide and guide bush.
Half a dozen clamps of varying sizes.
Straightedge and square.
Handsaw.
Drill with selection of bits and screwdriver bits.
Mask, ear defenders, and safety glasses.

Total cost, buying budget but reasonable tools, about £100.

With these tools, panels can be cut to size roughly with the handsaw, trimmed to exact size with the router and straightedge. If rebates are required they can also be cut as above. Glueing up can either use clamps or screws.

Holes and rebates for drivers can be cut using the circle cutting jig, using the 1/4 inch bit, ( which must be plunge capable), as can port holes. Square cutouts can be made using offcuts to made a guide template, then using the router guide bush to follow them.

Ok, thats my suggestions, anyone else care to comment?
 
I have made 1 speaker box, for a subwoofer. It is a 50litre cube with no ports and at teh time the only tools I had were a drill and a jigsaw. I got a friend to cut the wood with a circular saw he had setup outside for cutting firewood, and he planed the edges smooth... I cut the speaker hole with my jigsaw and glued/screwed the box together.. It isn't hifi, but its good enough for me.. :)
 
Hi pinkmouse,

To your wood working list I add a table saw with a decent fence and a DIY panel cutting sled. I bought a Makita contractor saw for around $250, but there are other brands that sell for around $125.

For electronics work, my list includes:
- Precision, flush cutting diagonal cutters ($20, don't scrimp on these).
- Small needle nose pliers ($5).
- Wire stripper (kind with individual notches for each wire gauge, not a one size nicks all type ) ($5).
- Tweezers ($2-$3).
- Hemastats ($2, Pakistan copies are fine).
- Dental picks ($2).
- Soldering Station (Hakko 936) ($80)
- Solder remover (braid or sucker) ($3 - $20)
- Flux Pen ($4)
- Dremel tool ($40)
- Dremel drill press ($40)

Test equipment:
- Multimeter ($20 - $100)
- SPL meter ($40 Radio Shack model is fine)
- Used scope off of ebay ($25 to $50)

And most important of all:
- Ears (free)
- Discerning mind (lots of time and effort)

All price estimates are in $US

Phil
 
You don't really need to have a table saw or even a friend with one;) . Building supplies stores which sell MDF or plywood, can cut the panels for you without extra charge and with pretty good precision (usually 1mm or less, if you keep an eye on the operator;) ). In North America, Home Depot is providing this kind of services.
 
Peter Daniel said:
You don't really need to have a table saw or even a friend with one;) . Building supplies stores which sell MDF or plywood, can cut the panels for you without extra charge and with pretty good precision (usually 1mm or less, if you keep an eye on the operator;) ). In North America, Home Depot is providing this kind of services.
Ha, yeeeer, thats what I thought when I went to make my box. But where I went had stopped the wood cutting service after too many people had come back complaining the wood was a mm or 2 off.. :p
 
Minimalist Tools

These are the tools I use every day:
<b>For Electronics</b>
Excelite fine diag's, needle nose and grippers.
DVM's
Scope
Weller 12 watt soldering pencil
Weller 125 watt gun
Magnifying glass
Solder wick and solder puller

<b>For cabinet building:</b>
12" Delta contractor saw
2 hp Porter-Cable router
Porter Cable detail sander
Black and Decker electric drill
sabre saw
drill press
clamps and more clamps
glue pot
 
Ex-Moderator
Joined 2002
Hemastats ($2, Pakistan copies are fine).
Haldor-what on earth is a hemestat- is it really that essential?:D

If you're just building an amp kit, do you really need a dremel and stand?
And most important of all:
- Ears (free)
- Discerning mind (lots of time and effort)
Yes ;) ;)

All these suggestions are fine, but what I was really trying to do with this thread was to get people to think laterally, and work out ways of doing things that need the least amount of tools, yet are straightforward for a beginner:)

Peter- what are the minimal tools you would need to build an amp case if you really thought about it?

Jackinnj, fine but that is about $700 worth of kit- how could you cut it down? As I said in my first post, you can make accurate, true panels for a box with just a square, straightedge and router.

Keep up the suggestions!:cool:
 
I am a new convert to DIY. These are tools I bought a couple of months back when I started building my Zen4:

Router $60 (and bits - as much as the router itself)
Drill Press $80 (Father's day sale at Sears - actual price $120). Bits extra.
Palm Sander $20
Soldering Station $100
 
pinkmouse said:



Peter- what are the minimal tools you would need to build an amp case if you really thought about it?


You need a drill. Drill press is usually about the same price as hand drill gun, so if you don't do any construction work I would choose drill press. Somebody on a forum bought one for $60. You really need a belt sander because it helps a lot in finishing the edges (and keeps the square). One can be bought for less than $100. There are different types, but 2" although not that popular is probably the best all around choice. Band saw is very helpful, a small one is enough for most jobs. If you have a jigsaw, it's good for the beginning, although not as convenient as stationary band saw.

Actually you only really need a drill press, hand jigsaw and a set of files. That what I was using for my first few chassis'.;)

You will also need a hammer, center punch, one or two clamps, sand paper, set of drill bits and taps, a good square (check before you buy, cheap ones are not always 90 deg.), ruler and a scriber. That's about it.;)
 
Two more hand tools for case work I find essential,

A knibbler, and a hole expander.

The knibber lets you trim aluminium sheet, and make prefect square holes, for switches, mains sockets etc.

The hole expander is for when you need a hole larger than the largest drill bit you have.

Both are around nz$20 each, so probably about us$10.

Adrian.
 
pinkmouse said:
Haldor-what on earth is a hemestat- is it really that essential?:D
A hemastat is like a tiny pair of self locking needle nose pliers or overgrown tweezers. These are used by doctors during surgery to clamp off veins and hold tissue. For electronics they are handy for holding small parts, or forming leads, plus I like to clamp them on leads of heat sensitive components (like polystyrene caps) to protect them from damage during soldering.

If you're just building an amp kit, do you really need a dremel and stand?
No, but if you make your own PCB's then a dremel gives you a way to shape the board and drill holes.

As I said in my first post, you can make accurate, true panels for a box with just a square, straightedge and router.
Using a router for all of your cutting is possible, but is going to take much longer and waste more material. I expect you will be buying a lot of bits this way, in addition a router is not going to be able to cut thicker stock or make angled cuts.

It is hard to beat a table saw with a panel cutting sled for making accurately cut panels with square corners. IMHO the table saw is the second power tool a woodworker should own (after a drill).

Here is link to a DIY panel cutting sled http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodmall/projects/panelcuttingsled.html

Phil
 
This is indispensable:

Just arrived -- it's gonna take me a month to do the stepper motors and controller, but a heck of a lot easier than the Dremel:
 

Attachments

  • mill.jpg
    mill.jpg
    26.4 KB · Views: 436
I have no electrical background, a complete newbie, when I build my first JLH1996 I have only the following tools; still a newbie.

one hand saw, can not remember where that came from
one multimeter from canadian tire $25 cdn
one 40W soldering iron from Sayal $8 cdn
one can of car paint spray from canadian $10
one hand drill from Home Depot $370 already own;bought it when moved to this house four years ago.
one most important tool; Geoff Moss well priceless

Regards,
Chris
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.